An Interactive Fractal Visualization in C++
In the beginning, the primary goal was to integrate and showcase some of the core attributes contained in C++ programming, mainly on the memory management side of things. But, also on some more positive things as well.
So, how can we showcase:
- The dubious task of memory management
- An opportunity to use multi-threading
- The performance of C++
- The ability to perpetually work on an application, while maintaining the functionality of features to a user.
Hmm, well Professor Curtis Larsen came up with the brilliant idea of working around fractals.
So, this project implements an interactive visual exploration of fractals in C++. A slight caveat to this creation: zooming in on a fractal acts closely as a vectorised image, producing a seemingly endless display of high resolution. Owed all to the nature of fractals of course.
Formal Objectives:
- To visualize complex fractals (Mandelbrot and Julia sets) using C++.
- Produce an ability to interactively zoom and navigate through fractal space.
- Implement recursive rendering logic to actively generate these patterns.
- Employ an OOP design to allow flexibility and functionality.
Aforementioned Concepts
| Concept | Benefit | How it was applied |
|---|---|---|
| C++ Syntax, Variables | Performance/Clarity | Strongly typed definitions along with scoped constants |
| Pointers and References | Minimise footprint on memory | Used for managing pixel buffers and color maps |
| Dynamic / Stack / Static Memory | Memory appropriation | Dynamic memory for recursive fractal generation |
| Functions and Classes | Modular structure | Separating the rendering, math and user options. |
| Polymorphism | Extendable functionality | The fractal rendering is derived from a base Fractal class and can support the two fractal types |
| Namespaces | Associated attribute structure | Related modules were grouped such as: ComplexFractal::, Image::, ActionData::. |
| Const correctness | Prevents variable mutation | Used when computing the fractals |
| Template functions and classes | Reusable and generally employable | Produced float and double precision when rendering fractals. |
| Standard Template Library (STL) | Pre-built classes and functions | Frequently used std::vector, std::istream and std::string |
| Recursion | Details can be adapted | Throughout rendering fractals |
| Exceptions | Error handling | Used with things like user input, memory errors and rendering |
Application Features
- The Fractal Types Supported: Mandelbrot Set and Julia Set.
- Zoom & Pan User Controls: Keypad controls for infinite zooming when exploring fractal space.
- Colour Gradient: When a colour is chosen for a fractal, a colour gradient illustrates the fractal density.
- Vector Resemblance: When magnifying, the image retains resolution due to the recursive fractal space.
- Multi-threading Computes tiles of pixels concurrently for faster rendering
Coding Snippet - Mandelbrot Set Logic
// Generating the Mandelbrot set
#include "MandelbrotSet.h"
MandelbrotSet::MandelbrotSet( )
: ComplexFractal() {
}
MandelbrotSet::MandelbrotSet( const int& height, const int& width, const double& min_x, const double& max_x, const double& min_y, const double& max_y )
: ComplexFractal(height, width, min_x, max_x, min_y, max_y) {
}
MandelbrotSet::~MandelbrotSet( ) {
}
void MandelbrotSet::calculateNextPoint( const double x0, const double y0, const double& a, const double& b, double& x1, double &y1 ) const{
x1 = x0*x0 - y0*y0 + a;
y1 = 2*x0*y0 + b;
}